# Making a Pipe



## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

Well today I got started today on making my first pipe. The briar block is from ebay, and I got some preformed saddle bits from J.H. Lowe, along with a spade shaped drill bit to do the bowl.

It did not go 100% as planned, but I didn't completely ruin it, so I'm chalking it up as a success.

I did the drilling today which was a bit dicey as I only have a hand drill. Briar is really hard stuff! I really had to put my weight into it to get anywhere, and I had to stop periodically when the briar started smoking from the heat every 10 seconds.

It was a lot of guesswork and eyeballing, but I only made one mistake. Well, two. The first was that I drilled too close to the edge of the briar, so I'm gonna have one slender pipe. This happened because the spade bit "walked" towards the edge of the briar when I started and I only corrected for it but so much. I had heard that pilot holes were hit or miss when using these spade bits on briar (meaning they don't really guide the bit at all), but in the future I will get the hole started just a little bit with a regular bit and follow with the spade.

Second mistake was that I tried to round out the edges of the draft hole inside the bowl with a drill bit, and took a little chunk out of the briar. I don't think this will cause a burnout, if it was higher up I'd be worried.




























Monday I am going to get started in cutting off chunks and start shaping.

Anyone have any comments on the shape/proportions?


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## Seekeroftruth (Jan 28, 2010)

Cool! I can't wait to see it finished! I don't know anything about making a pipe so I can't help much  But i will enjoy following this.


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## drastic_quench (Sep 12, 2008)

I've been thinking of giving this a try myself. I've got a big maple that's getting cut down pretty soon. After the wood cures, I'm going to try my hand with maple before I tackle briar. I'd just have to break them in carefully, and with a rusticated finish who's to tell?

I have done my own rustication on basket pipes. That finish is a cinch. You have to work to make it look bad.


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## Terrier (Jan 15, 2010)

Please keep us posted with your progress. I have also been wanting to make a pipe. This is encouraging.


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## CaptainJeebes (Apr 26, 2008)

looks like you are on the right track. keep us posted


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## BTcigars (Jun 30, 2009)

Thats for posting. I love to see someone making a pipe and how they do it. And if you dont already know about this, check out this book. It has a good reputation. Be sure to post more pics!


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## pdx (Jan 11, 2010)

Way to go Jack....


Maybe building the PUFF2011 group pipe huh? 

ipe:ha ha


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## jhopephulle (Oct 8, 2007)

Pipe Making Information and Supplies from PIMO Pipe Craft

ck this site out it is very helpfull with supplies and tools you may need. i've used them and service was very good as were prices


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

I used J.H. Lowe which is run by Tim West the famous pipe carver, great service there too. That PIMO book looks good!


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Andrew,

This site is excellent. Lots of very experienced pipe makers to answer just about any question. You have to send the mod an email to join but it is well worth it. Don't worry, he'll set up your account. Just mention in the email you have started on your first pipe.

Pipe Makers' Forum - the only forum site for pipe makers on the web


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Looking good Andrew! I'm glad you decided to post this up! Even if it doesn't turn out quite as well as you would hope (I'm sure it'll turn out great though), It'll still be a learning experience for all of us. I've been thinking of trying my hand at carving too, It'd just make the pipe so much more personal. Plus if it turns out to be a good smoker, you'll thank yourself everytime you light it up!


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## SmoknTaz (Jun 18, 2008)

Great project Andrew, looking forward to seeing the finished pipe. :tu


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

Well I hope it turns out well! I really need another burley pipe, too...



indigosmoke said:


> Andrew,
> 
> This site is excellent. Lots of very experienced pipe makers to answer just about any question. You have to send the mod an email to join but it is well worth it. Don't worry, he'll set up your account. Just mention in the email you have started on your first pipe.
> 
> Pipe Makers' Forum - the only forum site for pipe makers on the web


I've spent hours reading old posts on that forum, it is a great resource!


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## David M (Mar 11, 2009)

Looks like a great start Andrew.
Gonna enjoy seeing the rest of it.

Soon you will be puffing on your self-made pipe.
Very cool!!


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## Brinson (Oct 28, 2007)

drastic_quench said:


> I've been thinking of giving this a try myself. I've got a big maple that's getting cut down pretty soon. After the wood cures, I'm going to try my hand with maple before I tackle briar. I'd just have to break them in carefully, and with a rusticated finish who's to tell?
> 
> I have done my own rustication on basket pipes. That finish is a cinch. You have to work to make it look bad.


Wow, wait...you can make pipes out of a wood that isn't briar? I've _considered_ trying it, even though I'm sure I would fail miseribly...the main thing that's put me off is how damned expensive briar is if I'm going to mess up.


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## Coffee-Cup (Jan 26, 2010)

Great project Andrew! I am like several members here who has been considering making their own smoking pipe. Jhopephulle has come up with a great supplier with seemingly good prices for the brier. I read a pipe making forum and the "purists" use hand tools only whereas others use dremel type tools. Unfortunately for me I have had no wood working experience and I have been resistive to push ahead on this project; so I will be watching your endeavor with anticipation. Please keep us up to date on your project.ipe:


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

Updates to come maybe Tuesday! I will be at my Uncle's shop with access to his great tools. He has a band saw the size of a water buffalo. The hack saw I have just won't cut it (no pun intended), it's too wide and dull.


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## briarbrian (Jan 27, 2010)

that chunk you took out will be fine. It will fill in with cake once you smoke it and you wont even know it is there after smoking it a bunch of times.


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

Well, it's 90% done. Just have to finish sanding/shining the stem.

Went to my uncles to work on my car, and took advantage of his really nice woodworking vice. Started by cutting away the fat with a saw, then shaped it with a few files. The filing probably took a good hour or so. This was the result:










Then, I did the drilling and the sanding. Unfortunately, I caused a hairline crack in the shank, which was disappointing but what can you do.



















So, came out pretty good. All in all I learned a few lessons in the shaping and drilling, hopefully next time will be a bit smoother. I am pretty damn pleased with the overall shape. The process of filing down the stummel was really fun.

After sanding, I applied some Dark Brown Fiebing's Leather Dye and popped the grain with some wet/dry paper.

Behold, epic birdseye:














































It really is one beautiful piece of briar. I am happy with it. It's a short, light pipe, which is what I was after.


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## Terrier (Jan 15, 2010)

Excellent!! Now I really want to try to make one. You have set a very high standard. Let us know how it smokes.


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## baggersteve (Feb 26, 2010)

Does anyone know if you could use ipe wood (one of the most dense and hardest woods on earth) for pipe making?
What size blank do you need to use?


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## SmoknTaz (Jun 18, 2008)

Nicely done Andrew. Here's to many happy smokes in the JS Birdseye :tu


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Very nice pipe! The figure is fantastic, that polish really brought it out!

Whatcha gonna break it in with?


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## David M (Mar 11, 2009)

Alright.

OK.

Thats cool.

Uh-Huh!

Yah.


Ok Then, so here is what I want you to make me Mr. I Pick Up A Piece Of Briar for the first freaking time and make a pretty darn good looking pipe.

SO! I Want:

Classic Bent Billiard.
3/4 Bent.
5.5 " in length.
1.8" in height (bowl)
Weighing in at less than 1.7 oz.
Medium Dark Brown stain
Grain direction birdseye - Your choice.

****

HOLY KAMOLEY ANDREW!!!!
DOOOOOODDDD!!! THAT LOOKS LIKE A PIPE!!
LIKE A PRETTY DARN DECENT PIPE FOR YOUR FIRST GO!!:hail::hail::hail::hail:
Awesome buddy. Seriously. You might as well challenge the h*ll out of yourself on pipe number two since you nailed number one so well.
Go all out and try to make a BlowFish. Or wait a bit and do a few more other shapes (bent and a Rhodesian) , then try a BlowFish. Let's see if we have a Master Carver in our midst, created amongst all of us, pretty cool story. Can I get your first interview? LOL. 

Seriously buddy. Awesome and kudos. Unless you sold your soul to the devil a few nights back, you might have a pretty cool fund producing hobby around the bend.

How long in hours did it take you? Start to finish?

Once again... :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:


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## Steel Talon (Mar 2, 2010)

Very Nice!! did the mouth piece come with the briar?
tal~


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## Coffee-Cup (Jan 26, 2010)

Andrew!! You have done it. :clap2: I still cannot believe that your finished pipe came from that piece of wood. When I get a chance I will pick up an instruction book on hand woodworking. A hand made pipe is definitely on my list for future projects. Again, Andrew-great job; you should be proud.:beerchug:


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## jolyrogger (Jan 7, 2010)

pretty sweet pipe for your first try.. I want to give this a try to but don't really have the equipment to pull it off yet. Awesome work and let us know how it smokes..


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

Haha thanks guys. 

All said and done here is how the timing worked out:

Drawing/planning - an hour or so once I decided on what I wanted to do shape-wise
Drilling - probably a half hour with all the figuring out of the lines and checking and rechecking
Sawing/Filing - maybe an hour and a half, athough I didn't keep an eye on the clock but it seems right
Sanding/tweaking the stem shape - 45 minutes or so thus far, still needs a polish though
Sanding the stummel - This was the most time consuming, maybe 2 hours or even longer. This is where I really 'fine-tuned' the shape, in addition to getting the finish. 
Staining and then waxing - maybe 15 minutes, this is easy as pie with the alcohol based leather dye. Tack on an extra 20 minutes for the final sanding after staining.

So if I did it all at once, it would have taken half or most of a "work day" I guess.

Right now I'm leaning to smoking burley in this pipe, but we'll see how it works out. 

The beginning block of wood was 2x2x2.5" baggersteve, although I would recommend starting with something with a little more wiggle room if you can help it just so that you have a little more freedom with the shape/grain. Steel talon the stem was bought separately (a dozen of them) from jhlowe.com along with the spade bit for the bowl.

For those of you thinking of trying pipe making, do it!! It really does not need anything fancy beyond time. I would say all you really "need," or at least need access to is a drill and a vise, beyond that for this one at least it was just filing and sandpaper and leather dye.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Andrew, it looks great my friend!


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

baggersteve said:


> Does anyone know if you could use ipe wood (one of the most dense and hardest woods on earth) for pipe making?


Check out the Alternative Materials thread here:

Pipe Makers' Forum - the only forum site for pipe makers on the web

I think someone there could answer your question if it hasn't already been answered. It would probably work although I believe some woods can be toxic if used in pipe making.


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## owaindav (Mar 7, 2010)

Dude! That is awesome! Looks like I need to get to work on mine! Thanks for the inspiration.


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## ultramag (Aug 23, 2007)

I say pretty darned good for a first attempt. I think you definately did very well on the shaping.


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